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Graduate Visitor Program

Graduate Visitor Program

NCAR's Advanced Study Program's Graduate Student Fellowship is an excellent way to spend time at NCAR and work on parts of your thesis, or final project equivalent, with guidance from NCAR scientists and engineers. Students in the atmospheric and related sciences, engineering and scientific computing are invited to apply. Besides providing enrichment for graduate research in core geosciences, NCAR has a strong interdisciplinary mission to bring other fields to bear on substantial problems in climate, weather and related disciplines. Thus there is also significant opportunity for students in computational science, data science, social science, or engineering to bring a multidisciplinary component to their thesis research.

The Advanced Study Program accepts applications on a yearly basis. The next application period will happen in fall of 2019.

Selection Criteria 1. Programmatic fit and need to visit to NCAR as part of the thesis or final project work.2. The commitment to student mentoring by the NCAR host and advisor, accompanying the proposed visit.

Eligibility Advanced M.S. and Ph.D. students are welcome to apply. Students in the atmospheric and related sciences, engineering and scientific computing are eligible. Preference will be given to students that have not previously had long-term graduate student visit to NCAR. Alumni of NCAR undergraduate internships and the SOARS program are encouraged to apply. The ASP strives to have diverse representation of universities and student backgrounds in the graduate student cohort each year; and encourages applications from individuals who are members of a group that is historically under-represented in the atmospheric and related sciences, including students who are Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic or Latino, female, first generation college students, and students with disabilities. ASP welcomes LGBT students.

Nominations are limited to one student per NCAR staff member per year.

Length of the AwardThe length of your visit should be appropriate for the purpose of the visit and can range from a few months to a year. Most awards are three to six months and we recommend a three months minimum stay. If you have personal circumstances that require a shorter stay, please contact ASP to discuss before your host submits the nomination.

Financial Support Included are: 1. One trip to/from Boulder and Temporary Living Per Diem stipend of $2000/month for all other costs. Students living within a 50-mile radius of Boulder are not eligible for travel support or per diem. Please note that per diem might be taxable, ASP will advise you on the details.

2. Travel expenses for the student's thesis advisor for visits up to two weeks. If the student is in residence at NCAR for longer than six months, two advisor visits of up to two weeks each will be supported. The advisor's visit must occur during the student's stay at NCAR, not before or after. A visit by an advisor is not required.

3. The Advanced Study Program cannot pay for the travel of Federal Employees.

Not included are: • Support for the student's salary or benefits. • Health insurance: While not required for U.S. students, we recommend it. Health insurance is required for international students (see below). • Trips back home during your stay at NCAR [except for emergency situations. Personal circumstances that require additional travel support should be discussed up front with ASP to see if an exception can be made].

Support for computing, engineering laboratories and calibration facilities ASP does not manage any facilities, nor does it have sufficient supercomputing facilities. Any support for the student’s project, such as laboratory facilities, computers and supercomputing allocations, should be arranged in advance of the visit by the NCAR host.

International Applicants:Foreign applications are considered, but the NCAR host program or the student’s home institution is asked to provide co-sponsorship to offset the additional travel expenses. All foreign students are required to have health insurance. NCAR hosts need to indicate source of funding to cover health insurance in their nomination. In some cases, international students don’t receive any or sufficient funding from their home institution to cover cost of living in Boulder. The ASP can’t provide any supplemental support, but will require that the student visitor is adequately supported for the cost of living in Boulder, either by an increment from their home institution and/or the NCAR host laboratory.

Contacts: For questions about possible hosts and questions from students and advisors: Rebecca Haacker ASP Directorrhaacker@ucar.edu

For questions about the nomination form or logistical and financial details: Paula Fisher ASP Administratorpaulad@ucar.edu

The Warner Internship for Scientific Enrichment (WISE)

As an additional source of funding for any graduate student visitors interested in enriching their research experience, the Warner Internship for Scientific Enrichment (WISE) was created in memory of Professor Tom Warner by the Research Applications Laboratory and Advanced Study Program of NCAR.

Combining research and service to society, in the spirit of the Professor's approach to science, the Warner Internship for Scientific Enrichment (WISE) offers graduate student opportunities to engage in direct exposure to a broad range of atmospheric research applications and impacts enhancing the student's appreciation for the role of science in service to society.

WISE honors Dr. Warner's personal commitment to the education and mentoring of students and professionals in the atmospheric sciences by providing support to graduate student education and outreach. WISE internships are funded through donations and the first WISE internship was awarded in the fall of 2012.

In addition to the selection criteria for the Graduate Student Visitor Program, WISE candidates will be selected based on the applicant's strength to clearly define a two-week plan that promotes service mindfulness through education and outreach, diversity and inclusion, and/or technology transfer activities. Selected WISE interns will receive a $2500 addition to their Temporary Living Per Diem stipend for their participation in the WISE program.